Ot was mid-July. Lily was locked in her room, reading a sixth year potions book, ink on her nose , the edge of her quill against her bottom lip as she thought about what to write in her summer potions essay. She was putting so much work into her school work. it wasn't that Potions was her favorite subject. Oh, far from it. But leaving her room meant facing Petunia, and her parents.
Her parents wouldn't stop nagging that it was halfway through summer and she hadn't had any friends over. She'd been owling Willow, but Remus was spending the entire summer with Willow's family, who knew what Remus was and who accepted it.
She didn't have a lot of time for Lily. Lily wanted to visit Ash and Josie, but Ash was in Paris for the summer and Josie's parents didn't approve of mggle borns. Ah, another summer in muggle england.
"Why do I only have three friends!" she burst out, throwing her quill on her pillow. It fell with a splat, spattering ink on the sheets and pillow case. She sighed. "Wait what am I saying? NO friends! It's my birthday and do I get a single card! ONE SINGLE CARD! No. Not even from my parents. Of course, the fact that I haven't emerged from my room except to pee and eat for the entire summer might have convinced them I've been posessed while at Hogwarts."
Lily's mother called up to her room. " Lils! Lunch, come get it!" She shouted up the stairs.
"Not hungry mom!" she called back.
"Lily, if you don't get down here now, your grounded. You didn't eat breakfast and I want you to at least eat something."
"Alright, alright...." she left her quill dripping ink on the bed. Hey, it wasn't like she had to do the laundry and her parents had forgotten her birthday. Stumbling out of her room and down the stairs, she stretched as she reached the bottom and then, she walked into the kitchen, looking like a complete mess. Her hair was piled into a messy bun that was very nearly on the very top of her head. Ink stains covered a ratty old t-shirt which had holes all over the collar where she'd chewed on it while thinking. Her pants were cut-off sweats with fraying edges. On her face was smeared black ink. It was on her nose, her lip and her forehead. She looked like a very harried writer. A harried writer who was short on money. And bathwater.
Her mother's voice called from the dining room. "Honey, its in here."
"Okay." she said, turning and going into the dining room unselfconsciously. it was jsut her parents and hell, they'd seen her in diapers. Well Tuna would probably be in there but as Lily considered her more like fungi than human, she didn't care.
She was greeted by a roar of a Happy Birthday and Willow throwing herself at her, Embracing her in a huge hug. Her eyes went wide, looking around the room. Sirius, Remus, Willow, Peter and James (unfortunately...) were all grinning at her. Her parents stood, looking proud at the bunch of friends they had somehow managed to collect together. Petunia looked awfully annoyed that others like her freak of a sister had come into her home.
She looked down at herself, then back up at the crowd in her dining room.
"Happy Birthday Lils!" Willow said, hugging her yet again.
"Thanks..." mumured Lily. She was still trying to decide how to react to the fact that she was living her worst nightmare.
"Woa, Lily! You look like you've been dragged backward through a hedge, along with a pot of ink." Sirius said jokingly. Remus stepped on Sirius' foot hard. Peter covered his mouth with his hand and coughed loudly. Willow finally let go of her.
Lily's mother looked at her. "Lily, why don't you go clean up while I get lunch together."
"But lunch is.." started Mr Evans. Mrs Evans discreetly ground her high heel into his big toe. "Almost ready, Lily, so you'd better hurry." he finished hurriedly, wincing. Lily retreated as fast as she could, practically leaping up the stairs.
"I can't believe they invited James..." she muttered, walking into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.
Fifteen minutes later she came back down the stairs.She was clean, her hair was pulled back in a wet pony tail. She was wearing a lavender t-shirt and a black mini and a little lip gloss. "Sorry about that." she said. In the shower, she'd managed to collect herself into something resembling a human personality. They had all been sprawled over a couch, waiting for her.
Willow had piled her presents from everyone, next to the one her parents had got her.
She smiled a little when she saw the presents."Aww, you guys, you shouldn't have." she avoided James' eyes.
Sirius grinned. "Okay." he reached to take back his present and she smacked his hand.
"Hey! MINE!" Lily's parents were in another room 'letting the kids be kids' as her mother put it.
" Well you said..." Sirius trailed off, a grin on his face. Lily rolled her eyes at him.
James was sat back on the couch, keeping himself to himself. "Open them!" Willow said excitedly.
"Before we even eat?" Lily laughed.
Willow shrugged. "Why not?"
"Okay." grinned Lily, grabbing the present at the top. It was from Remus, the gift was wrapped in shining gold paper with a red ribbon. She ripped it open, no careful tearing of lines to save the paper. She revealed a beautiful book, bound in red leather with gold leaf on the edge of the pages. The Title read 'Charms through the ages' and had been a book which Lily had once said she had wanted.
She gasped. "Remus I can't believe you remembered that!" she positively beamed. James could have sworn she was glowing. She kissed remus' cheek. Some might have thought she was flirting but she thought of Remus as a brother, jsut as she thought of Willow as a sister.
Sirius watched. His present was buried somewhere, thing was, he couldn't remember what he got her. Lily took the next present off the pile and tore it open, still glowing. This one was from Peter. It was rather oddly shaped, and contained chocolate, sweets and some muggle money. Peter had been stumped for a gift. Lily thanked him politely and opened the next package. Next was Sirius's gift, wrapped in a dark blue paper with a yellow ribbon. As she tore away the paper she saw... a rather saucy black and red thong.
"What the hell!" she said before she could stop herself. James did not looked happy, to say the very least. "Uh..." she was baffled. Sirius had gone bright red, and his jaw had fallen open.
"That was sooooo not ment for you!" He said, amazed he had gotten the gifts switched.
"What?" asked Lily, looking confused.
"I switched yours and my Girl friends presents, by accident." Sirius said, sinking back into the couch with embarassment. Remus was turning red with silent laughter. Willow was gawping at Sirius with disbelief. Peter was stifling himself too.
Lily solemnly handed Sirius back his thong. "Ah yes, well, moving on..." she picked up another gift. This rather large one was from Willow and contained make-up, jewelry, hair accessories, and another book on charms, which she had wanted aswell. Lily smiled at Willow and hugged her. "Thanks." she said softly. She picked up the last gift in that pile. She opened it, not looking at James. Surrounded by cotton wool was a small silver pendant with gems and precious stones inlaid into it. Her name Lily was in its center, written in gold. James was staring at the floor, he hadn't really known what to get her, and he had seen this.
She sucked in her breath sharply.
"Th...Thank you, James." her voice sounded a little muffled. "Excuse me for a minute." she closed the box and clutched it in her hand, walking out of the room and up the stairs quickly. James looked up, and had gone to reply as she walked out.
"Why does she always DO that!?!" asked Peter. "Doesn't she know some people are hungry?"
Sirius laughed slightly. "Peter, your stomach and you need a serious talking to. It's her birthday, let her be."
Willow was worried, and looked up at Remus. Remus leaned down and whispered something to her.
She nodded, and got up. She turned and grabbed hold of James, and pulled him to his feet and then quickly ushered him out of the doorway without a word. Once in the hallway, she said quietly, "James, go talk to her."
He looked at her then up the stairs. He sihed and proceeded up the stirs, towards Lily's room, after getting alittle direction from Willow.
Lily sat on her bed, cross legged. The red bow was rpessed to her heart as she stared off into space. She didn't notice him come up into the doorway, although the door was wide open.
"Hope you like your gift." James said awkwardly. He had his hands in the pockets of his jeans.
"It's beautiful." she said softly, looking up at him, not seeming startled he was there. She was starting to recognize a pattern in how often her friends tried to get her alone with James.
James was so tempted to reply with 'just like you', but decided against it. It was to corny and over used. He smiled slightly. "Glad you think so."
"Thanks for it... And uh... for not commenting on what I looked like when I walked into the dining room."
"Oh right, well yea, I hadn't really noticed." He said, to tell you the truth he had had his eyes mostly at the couch.
"Just as well."
"Well erm..." He was stuck for conversation, they hadn't really talked much since the end of term. Everyone else downstairs was waiting with bated breath for when they were both to come back downstairs.
"We should probably go downstairs." she said quietly. Getting up she slipped past him into the hall, touching his shoulder lightly as she passed. It was her way of forgiving him without saying anything. He turned back round, and followed her, savouring the feel of her hand on his shoulder.
Down the stairs she went emerging into the dining room.
The others looked up at her, Willow smiled. "You Ok Lily?"
Lily nodded. "Fine." she said, smiling. "Let's eat." Peter let out a woop. Everyone started laughing as James came into the dining room. They all went to go get the food out of the kitchen, chuckling and ribbing each other.
The summer days whizzed by because Lily spent the rest of them at Willow's house. Before they knew it it was two days before school started and Willow's mother was taking them to Diagon Alley. Lily, as usual, had gone in July because she liked to get her books early. But she hadn't gotten other supplies last time and besides, she would never pass up the chance to spend a weekend in Diagon Alley with her best friend. And this year, Willow's mother was just dropping them off. Which meant... Dun dun dun... No parents!
"I can't believe we talked our parents into this!" squealed Lily excitedly as they settled in to their room at the Leaky Cauldron.
"I know! Well, we are older than last time we tried to pull this off, but they said yes! I was suure my mom would say no from the start!" Willow said, she as happy as Lily was.
"Me too. Well, should we school shop first or do soemthing else?"
"You're so adorably practical. Let's go." They both left their room, and made their way down into Diagon alley. They shopped quickly, spending the longest time looking for robes. Lily bought several sets she'd only be able to wear on weekends but she was incredibly sick of black.
"What shall we do now?" Lily asked as they dumped their things in their room. "I wonder where Ja.. Where the Marauders are, maybe they've done their shopping already."
Willow smiled at what she had gone to say. "They should all be turning up this afternoon, I got an Owl from Remus."
"There is someone." She said, a mischievious look playing across her face as she too packed her trunk.
"Who?"
"James."
"Get off that idea and find a new one. James and I are friends, again, but that's IT! That's all we'll ever be, I don't like him that way and anyway, he's over me, if he was ever under me." said Lily in one breath.
"Woah, Lily, chill I was joking." Willow said, knowing for a fact James wasn't over her.
"Well I was serious."
"I noticed." An awkward silence befell the room. Willow sat on her bed, her cat was asleep next to her.
"Argh. C'mon, let's go get ice at Florien's"
" Ok." Willow said, getting up, grabbing her bag. They headed down to the ice cream shop, watching Hogwarts students go by. Soon the Marauders wandered past, not seeing Lily or Willow sitting there.
"Sirius, James, Remus, Peter!" called Lily. "Over here!"
"Hey!" Sirius called back, James smiled and waved, and Peter went straight for the ice cream. They all went and pulled chairs up to the small table where Lily and Willow were
"Guess what?" said Lily. She didn't give them a chance to answer. "Willow and I are staying here until September 1st, with no parents. Today and tomorrow and then I'm taking Willow on the muggle underground to get us to King's Cross."
" Thats great!" Srirus said. Remus had wrapped himself around Willow.
"The muggle underground? Have fun..." James said.
"Oh, it's not a big deal. I've taken it to get to King's Cross before."
"Want us to all come with you?"
"Oh Merlin, you all on a muggle train?" Lily's eyebrows retreated into her hairline at the mere thought.
"Fine, fine, we shall have to resist." Sirius grinned, opening up one of the Menu's.
Lily already had a sundae which she was eating with relish. Lily took a big bite of her sundae.
"Want the usual James?" Sirius asked. "Yeah sure." He replied.
"Two chocolate sundaes." He said to the menu, and there they appeared on the table infront of them. Willow and Remus had been lip locked for a minute or two, and her sundae was mostly forgotten about. Peter was most of the way through a mountain of icecream.
"Willow, eat already." said Lily, poking Willow. Willow pulled away, going slightly red.
"Sorry." she mumbled, going back to the sundae, with Remus around her. Lily was pretty much just jealous that Willow had such a great relationship. Just then, to add insult to injury, Romano rounded a corner. And he had Bellatrix Black draped on him like a bad furcoat. Sirius had seen her and his face darkened with anger.
Lily looked a little stricken. "So... Uh... He really did leave me for her." she said, trying to laugh but it was stuck in her throat.
"Ignore them Lily," Willow said, placing a hand on her shoulder. James had noticed Sirius, and was sure that Bella was going to come over and bring it upon herself to comment on the fact Sirius had been chucked out, and was now liiving with James. Bellatrix unwrapped herself from around Romano and slunk over to their table, smirking at Lily.
"Bella, do me a favor. Fuck off." Sirius said through gritted teeth. Willow gave Romano the dirtiest looks.
"Sirius, darling disowned cousin, shut up." Lily looked at Sirius, then back to Bella, but kept her mouth shut.
"So, Lily dear, missing Romano?"
"Why should I be?" asked Lily, slipping an arm around James' shoulders suddenly. James was startled, but not visibly. He caught on quickly, threading his arm around her. Romano looked a little incensed. He came over to their table. James glanced up at him.
"Do I have to want something to talk to my cousin?" she saked with a scarily pleasent smile. She kissed Romano, who kissed her back.
Romano pulled back and smirked at Lily.
Taking a deep breath, Lily kissed James. Like REALLY kissed him. James was incredibly shocked, and managed to pull himself together enough to really kiss her back.
Sirius was trying really hard not to snicker. Bella looked positively disgusted and romano looked like he was going to explode. Somebody was jeeeeaaaalous.... Remus looked at Willow secretly shocked. Willow stared up at Romano and Bella, looking completely natural, not reacting to James and Lily at all.
"Sorry." said Lily. "I just had to do something.
"Dont worry about it." James said, a little stunned. Sirius was seething. The last person he had wanted to see was Bella.
"I can't believe he left me for Bellatrix Black, ok, so I'm not that wodnerful, but Merlin's teeth..."
"I always told you he was worse than me." James said.
Lily wasn't really listening. "Am I THAT horrible?" She slumped back in her seat, looking upset.
"Of course you aren't Lily." Willow said, resting a hand on her shoulder. James shook his head, she was far from horrible. Peter sack back, ice cream was smeared round his face, and he had a satisfied grin on his face. Lily sighed. She felt like crap.
"You lot finish up, then we'll go somewhere else. I don't think any of us, other than Peter, want to stay here much longer." Willow said. She then hugged Lily, peeling Remus off of her for alittle while. Lily dropped her spoon. "Damn it." she bent over to pick it up and the necklace James had given her fell out of her dress, hanging from it's chain around her neckline. James noticed it and a small smile crept onto his face. He wondered why she had had it hidden. She went a little red and stuffed it back in to her dress, glancing up at James, then away.
James looked away quickly. Sirius had by now calmed down, and had finished his ice cream.
"Have you lot bought your stuff yet?" Lily asked the Marauders.
"Me and Sirius know we need to, not sure about Peter, And you Remus?" James asked.
"I got my stuff before you all showed up." The other marauders had met Remus at the Leaky Cauldron.
Peter nodded. "Got mine!"
"Then its just us." Sirius said.
Willow and Remus decided they were going to go for a walk. Peter was going back to the Leaky Cauldron. "Can I go with you two, then?" asked Lily.
"Yeah, sure." Sirius and James replied.
"Let's go then." she said, yawning and stretching as she rose from her chair.
Everyone said their good-byes and went off their sepparate ways.
The redheaded witch and the two black haired wizards wandered off into Diagon Alley to get the boys' school things.
They were in Flourish and Blotts and had finished everything else they needed to do. Sirius and James were ready to leave but Lily was in the charms section and WOULD NOT get up from her chair, where she was walled in by two solid feet of charms books. James and Sirius looked at eachother with a grin and they seized her under her arms and picked her up suddenly.
"Eek!" she squealed, dangling in the air above her stack of books, her legs were crossed and she was dangling in midair suspended from their hands. "Put me DOWN!"
"Only if you leave with us now." Sirius said. They both dropped her onto the chair.
"You could jsut leave me here you know, I think I can make it back to the Leaky Cauldron all by myself." she said sarcastically.
"Thought you wanted to come with us? But if you want to sit here by yourself..." James shrugged, adusting the bag of books over his shoulder.
"Well, you're done, aren't you?" She got up and hopped over the books. "Oh alright, let's go." She headed out the door.
Blocking her way was none other than Romano Zabini. "Romano." she said coldly. "Excuse me." she tried to shoulder past him but he put a hand on her shoulder. "Get off of me Zabini." she said icily.
James had followed her, and now stood behind her. "Get off her." He said, just as sternly and as coldly.
"Or what Potter? I just want to talk to her for a minute. Alone."
James looked down at Lily, with a 'wanna go with him?' look on his face. Sirius was stood behind James, glaring.
"If you're going to talk, Zabani, then talk. I have places to go." said Lily, arms crossed under her breasts.
"Fine. Look, Lils, I'm really sorry. Yeah, I went and had a butterbeer with Snape and Bella and Lucius, it's not that big a deal. It was nothing to breaka up with me over. I want you back, I should never have gone out with Bella, she was just using me to get udner yor skin anyway!" James looked at him, having no idea how Lily was going to react. Sirius pushed past them all, he couldn't be asked to look at Romano's face any longer.
.
Lily looked at Romano. "I wouldn't go back out with you if you were the last man on earth!" she snapped at him. She went to push past him but Bellatrix black Stepped into her way.
"Nobody steals my boyfriends." hissed Bella. For a second Lily thought Bella was going to swing at her. But instead she pushed past Lily and kissed James on the mouth!
Lily's mouth dropped open. James was so stunned, that he was standing stock still, not really letting her kiss him, but to shocked to react. Lily grabbed Bella's shoulder, spun her around and drew her arm back. Before anyone could react she let go and punched Bella in the mouth.
Gasping with shock Bella put her fingers up to her lip. It was bleeding. Then she ran at Lily and knocked her down. Some kid ran into the street yelling 'Cat fight at Floruish and Blott's!'. And it was true. Lily and Bella had started a knock-down, drag out fight, and the chances of getting them apart without whoever was doing the parting getting injured was looking slim.
Sirius looked round, and dashed back into the book shop, pushing through the crowds. James was still dazed by shock, and was looking at the fight if not quite recognising what was happening infront of him. Lily was pinned under Bella, only one arm loose. She threw a punch at the black haired girl's cheek. Sirius grabbed Bella byt the shoulders, and with ease pulled her her off Lily. He3 had, of course waited for the punch to land squarely on his 'beloved' cousins face.
James seemed to come round, and suddenly sprang into action, falling down onto his knees next to Lily. Lily lunged for Bella again. Bella was struggling against Sirius. Sirius was under no circumstances letting her get to Lily again. James caught Lily before she was able to get close to Bella agian.
Lily wriggled so hard her feet lifted off the floor. "Let me go, I'm going to give her the best make-over of her life." growled Lily. She was looking a bit worse for wear herself. Her hair was half pulled out of it's pony tail, she had a black eye, bruises on her amrs and a swollen cheek.
"No." James said, holding tight to her, he didn't want her hurt again.
"James, let me go!" snarled Lily, kicking at the air. Bella was squirming, trying to get away from Sirius, glowering at Lily.
"No, calm down Lily!" James said, not letting her move. "She isnt worth it, she's no more than dirt ont he bottom of your shoe." He said, looking at Bella in disgust.
"Fine, let me down, please." Lily said, stopping her struggling, her feet touching the ground. Sirius was still restraining Bella. James released her, untangling his arms from hers.
Lily was very, very mad, she wasn't thinking. Which is why, quick as a flash, she drew her wand and sent a full body bind at Bellatrix Black. Then she dropped her wand. "Oh SHIT..." she said. She was in biiiiig trouble. Sirius had no need to hold Bella anymore, and let her drop to the floor.
James looked at her. "You just, just..." He could only gawp.
"I'm gonna get expelled. Oh my god..." Bella smirked and walked away.
" You ever used it outside of school before?" James asked curiosly.
"No. Would I have gotten prefect if I had? Probably not. I'll never be headgirl now!"
"Lily, people make mistakes, I'm sure you get let off. It's not like you do this sorta thing all the time." Sirius said, straightening himself out and removing the agression he felt towards Bella which his face had been wraught with.
"You'll be fine, and I know, you'll get head girl when the time comes to it." James said, a slightly smile on his face, trying to be reasurring. She smiled crookedly at James, then blushed, realizing she'd attacked Bella for kissing James.
"What?" He asked, not having realised why she had gone pink. Sirius was just as confused.
"Nothing." she suddenly realized that the comforting weight of her necklace wasn't hanging around her neck. "Oh no..." she cast her eyes over the floor, frowning. The crowd from the fight had dispersed.
"My necklace is missing."
"Oh god..." James said, beginning to scan the floor, to see if it was there.
Lily bit her lip and looked around. "I don't see it..."
"I can't either." James said, looking up at her.
"Black..." she breathed, obviously reffering to Bella. Something clicked in Sirius's mind. Bella had had a necklace clasped in her hand when he had restrained her. Lily sighed.
James looked at her, and then stepped forward and hugged her, feeling he could do nothing else. "Sorry, we'll get it back." He said, before letting her go.
For the few seconds he'd held her she had rested her head on his shoulder. "Ok. I'm going to go back to my room for now. Bye." she quickly walked away.
Sirius shook his head. "She always does that!" James watched her walk off and sighed.
"Yea, I know. God, Bella is such a bitch!" James said annoyedly.
"I hope Lily doesn't get in too much trouble."
" Me too." James replied. They both left Flourish and Blotts and meandered off down Diagon Alley again.
Lily was in the public room at the Leaky Cauldron. She'd gone up to her bedroom but Willow and Remus had had it occupied.
"How long they been up there?" Sirius asked, sitting opposite her. james sat next to her.
"Fifteen minutes since I came down here. Before that, no idea." she paused. "Has Remus said they were...?"
"What, sleeping together?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah."
He shrugged. " I'm not sure. You could try asking Willow."
James didn't have a clue if they were or not.
"But by the legnth of time they've spent up there, I'd put good money on it." Sirius added, looking up brifely at the ceiling.
"Yeah." she shrugged.
"Want a Butterbeer?" James asked them both, getting up.
"Yes please." said Lily. Sirius nodded. James disappeared off to the bar, and a few minutes later returned with three bottles. Lily took hers and thanked him, opening it and taking a sip. He smiled and sat down again, opening his and handing the last to Sirius. Sirius cracked his open and they all drank together. Remus and Willow came down the stairs, looking rumpled and tired. But both smiling broadly at each other. Lily raised an eyebrow at Willow. Willow smiled, and gave her that 'I'll tell you later' look. James and Sirius looked at each other. Yep they were sleeping together. Remus had a huge grin. They went and joined the other three, sitting right next to eachother, Willow sitting back in Remus's arms.
"Where's Peter?" asked Lily, frowning.
"He's off with his parents." Willow said, happily, if not wearily. "They turned up and off they went."
"Hm, weird. Why would you want to be with you parents when all your friends are around and there's no chaperones. Some teenager he is."
"I think they were going for a meal." Remus replied.
"Well that explains it," Sirius said.
"Ohhh, Ok then." Just then an owl flew in an open window and dropped a letter in front of her.
